Prevention Works in Seattle

The mission of Prevention Works in Seattle is to prevent underage drinking, substance abuse, and associated problems through education, advocacy, and networking with students, families, and the community.

Teen Drug Use…Is it Inevitable?
A community discussion Thursday, December 1, 2016 from 6:30-8:30pm at Nathan Hale High School.
Click here for more information.

April 2015

NE Seattle parents,

Starting in May, you may notice a few billboards along Lake City Way NE urging parents to talk to their children about marijuana. The billboards feature doctors from Seattle Children's Hospital and list a few of the risks associated with teenagers using marijuana. One billboard also notes that the legal age for using marijuana is 21. Driving under the influence of any amount of marijuana is illegal for people under the age of 21.

Why prevent underage drinking and youth substance abuse? Underage drinking and youth substance abuse cause our young people to put themselves in dangerous situations and can harm the developing adolescent brain in ways only recently understood. Drug and alcohol use by those under 21 is related to numerous health problems including injuries and death results from car crashes, suicide, homicide, assaults, drowning, and recreational mishaps. That’s why the northeast Seattle community is taking action to prevent and reduce youth substance abuse.

Factors leading to a youth's decision to use drugs or alcohol are complex and likely to include influences from many domains. These domains include peer, family, school, and community environment. That's why Prevention WINS is taking a variety of actions to address risk factors in multiple domains.

In 2007, the Surgeon General of the United States issued a national call to action to prevent and reduce underage drinking.

In King County, marijuana is the most common substance identified by youth under 18 entering treatment.

Prevention Works in Seattle (WINS) is a community coalition formed in 2006 to put comprehensive programs and strategies into place that, when consistently implemented, are proven to reduce drug and alcohol use rates. We are people who work in schools, community agencies, medical organizations, government, media, substance abuse treatment and law enforcement. We are parents and youth. Together, we give parents and students the tools they need to avoid underage drinking and substance abuse. Together, we create and sustain a community that promotes healthy youth development. Coalitions like Prevention WINS have reduced youth substance abuse rates in their communities.

In partnerships with Seattle Children's Hospital, Prevention WINS is funded by a Drug Free Communities grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Office for National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).